Thread-cutter for sewing-machines.



D. S. SEYMOUR. THREAD CUTTER FOR SEWING MACHINES,

APPLICATION ElLED JUNE HI. I913.

Patented May 29,1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

0,5: SEYMOUR. THREAD CUTTE R FOR-SEWING MACHINES. APPLICATIION FILED JUNE l B| H3.

Patehted May'29, 1917 D. S. SEYMOUR. IHREAD CUUER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED mu: 1a. 1913.

Patented May, 29, 1917.

a SHEETS-SHEET 3.

i a Q 5 4' 5., a J3 2 YYYYYY \R Q q i 7 i k UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DUDLEY 8. smoun,

comm, O1 CHICAGO,

01' OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01 ILLINOIS.

THREAD-CUTTER FOB. SEWING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, Dunner S. SEYMOUR,

a citizen of the United States, residing at -An object of the invention is to provide a thread cutter in the rear of the stitch forming mechanism which is under the control of the operator, and may be caused to be actuated at will by'the connecting of the movable blade of the cutter with a moving part of the stitch forming mechanism.

A' further object of theinvention isto provide a cutting mechanism of the above character with devices which automatically disconnect the cutter from its actuating mechanism when released by the operator.

-These and other objects will-in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

the drawings, which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a front view of a sewing machine having my improvements applied thereto the casing being broken away to show the rock lever for connecting'the cutter to the actuating mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a detail showing in front elevation the cuttin mechanism and the moving parts of the stitch forming mechanism with "which the cutter is connected for actuation;

Fi 3 is a plan view partly in section showing the cutter actuatingLmechanism and the controlling rock lever t erefor,' the cutter being disconnected from the actuating Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the cutter connected to the actuating mechanism Specification 01 Letters Iatent. Application filed June 1:, 101a. serlaljl'mfi'lgfll.

. which reciprocates a needle bar 5, carrying and the movement of the actuatin mechanism in dotted lines to a point wl ere the cutter is automatically released.

My invention is shown applied to a sewmg machine which is ..especially adapted for making bags. Said machine consists of a supporting base or bed 1, on which is mounted a standard 2, havin an overhang mg arm 3, carrying a nee le head 4, in

a needle 6. The needle bar is reci rocate by a needle actuating lever 7, whic is connected to the needle bar by a link 8. The needle actuatin lever is moved about its pivotal support y a link or pitman 9, which coo erates with an eccentric on the main sha 10. As the main shaft rotates,,the lower end of the (pitman or link 9 will be raised and lowere and will also be moved laterally. The upper end of this link or pitman is connected to a ball stud indicated at 11 in Fig. 2. This permits the above movements in the link or pitman 9, while the needle bar actuating lever moves up and down in a vertical lane.

The material to e stitched is held on the work support 12 by a pre'sser footl3, which is carried by a presser bar 14. This presser foot is of a well-known character, which permits the stitching of the bags or articles which are being sewed, and the enchaining of the stitching threads from one stitched article to another. as they pass through the sewing machine. Located in rear of the stitclling mechanismis a thread cutter, which, as herein shown, consists of a lower fixed blade 15 and an upper movable shear blade 1:6. These blades are so located as to lie in a plane cutting the line of feed at right angles, and are so disposed that when the upper movable shear blade is raised, as shown in Fig. 2, the articles bein stitched are fed between theblades, and t e enchained threads between the stitched articles will also .be carried between the shear-blades.

The upper movable shear blade 16 is pivoted at 17 to a rock shaft, which is mounted in suitable bearing 18. A' spring Patented May 29, 1917.

forced forward so-as to move the end 26 19 encircles said rock shaft and bears against an arm 20, secured to the rock shaft, and this ring normally tends to hold the movable blade inshearing contact with the fixed blade. The arm 20 rojects through a slot. 21 formed at the inside of the standard. A sleeve 22 is carried by the inner end of the arm and this sleeve is provided with a spring-pressed In 23. The lug is formed with a shoulders section 24, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, and the s r' 25 rests at one end against said sgofidered section, while the other end bears against a seat formed in the sleeve 22. This spring normally presses the lo 23 to the position shown in Fig. 3, so t at the end 26 thereof is substantially housed in the sleeve. A stop screw 27 engages the shouldered section on-the opposite face from that engaged b the spring, and limits the move} ment of t e lug through an action of the spring.

An arm 28 is clamped to the link or pitman 9 by a clamping screw 29. Th s arm.

projects laterally from the link or pitman 9, and is formed with a fiat' horizontal face When the spring-pressed lug 23 1s thereof out of the sleeve, said lug is brought into the path of the movement of the arm 30. The arm 30 has an up and downand also a lateral movement. moves upward and the lug 23 1S pressed forward, said arm will en ge the lug and will oscillate the rock sha supporting the movable cutter causing said movable cutter to be depressed into cutting or shearing relation with'the fixed cutter 15. As the arm 30 reaches the upper end of its reciprocation, it will be carried laterall and even if the lug'23 is held pressed in its full for,-

-ward position, said arm 30 will move outward on-the lu to'the dotted line position in Fig. 4, and t 's allows the lug to SllP off from the arm. The spring 19, above referred to, not only holds the blades in shearing relation, but said spring at one end is connected to the arm 20 while the other end is connected to the. bearing 18, and the sprin is so wound as to normally hold the mova le blade 16 in raised position. As soon, therefore, as the arm 30 moves so as to release the lug 23, the spring 19 at once raises the shearing blade. When the link or' pitman 9'moves u the needle is carried upward'thereby. he feed of the machine takes, lace when the needle is out of work, and, t e'refore, it is desirable that the cutting blade shall be also raised at this time when the needle is up and when the feed takes place. The above construction, wherein the cutter is released from its actuating mechanism and automaticall to its highest position, substantia y while When the" arm.

raised prevents the cutter being in depressed position during the feedingaction. A continued movementof the arm 30, if the lug is held pressed in, will a ain pick up the lug as it :moves around un erneath the same, and a second time depressthe cutter into shearing action withthe fixed member.

As a means for manually controlling the cutter-actuating mechanism, I have provided a rock s ft 31, which is mounted in a suitable bearing in the front plate of the standard, and said rock shaft at one end is provided with an 'arm 32, which depends rom the rock shaft and lies in such posi- -t1on as to enga e thelu 23 when the rock shaft 31 is osci ated. handle or finger piece 33 is also attached to the rock shaft 31, and depends therefrom so that when said finger piece is en aged and moved inwardly toward thlllal sltan ard of the machine, the arm32 w' e swung upwardly enga 'ng the lug 23 and moving the inner end of ihe lug 26 into the ath of travel of the arm 30. The front ace of the arm 32 is so formed as to permit the cutter to be raised whlle the finger piece is pressed inward.

While I have described the cutting mechanism as particularly adapted for cutting the threads enchainedbetween stitched articles, it will also be obvious that the cutting mechanism is ada ted forcutting other things, such as a bin 'ng tape or the like, and said cutting mechanism may, therefore,

be otherwise located relative to the stitch- -forming mechanism from that herein shown and described.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of parts may be made, without departin from the spirit of the invention, as set for't in'the appended claims.

Ha thus what I c aim is: a

1. The combination with stitch forming mechanism, of a thread cuttin mechanism includin a movable cutter bla e located in rear oft e stitch forming mechanism, and

described my invention,

manually controlled means for causing said Y cutting mechanism to be actuated from a moving part of the stitch forming mechanism at the will of the operator,'said manually controlled means includingvdevices for automaticeuy disconnecting the movable blade from its actuating mechanism, and

raising the same.

2. The combination with stitch forming mechanism, of a thread cutting mechanism including a stationary cutter blade and a movable cutter blade located in rear of the stitching mechanism, and'in a plane at right angles to the line of feed, and manually controlled means for actuating the movable blade from a moving part of the stitch forming mechanism at the will of the operator,

said manually controlled means including devices for automatically disconnecting the .movable blade from its actuating mechanism, and raising the same when released by the operator.

3. The combination with a stitch forming mechanism including a needle, of a thread cutting mechanism including a fixed blade, a movable blade, said cutting blades being located in rear of the stitch forming mechanism and in a plane at right angles to the line of feed, and manually controlled means for actuating said movable blade from a moving part of the stitch forming mechanism at the will of the operator, said means including devices'for depressing the blade on the upward movement of the needle, releasing the same, and raising said blade.

5. The combination with stitch forming mechanism including a needle, of a thread cutting mechanism including a movable cuta ter blade pivoted toswing in a plane at right angles to the line of feed and in rear of the needle, a spring for normally hold ing said cuttingblade raised, anarm attached to said cuttin blade for moving the same, an actuating evice movable in unison with the needle, manually controlled means carried by the arm and movable into the path of the actuating device for depressing the cutter, said means being so disposed as to be automatically disconnected from its actuating device when the needle is substan-' tially at the upper end of its stroke.

, 6. The combination with stitch forming mechanism including a needle, of a thread cutting mechanism including a movable cutter blade pivoted to swing in a plane at right angles to the line of feed and in rear of the needle, :1 spring for normally holding said needle is above.

said cutting blade raised, an arm attached to said cutting blade for moving the same, an actuating device, a lug carried'by the arm, and normally held out of the path of movement of the actuating device, an arm for engaging the lug and-moving the same into the path of the actuating device, and

a finger'piece connected to the arm for mov- 1 ing the lug, whereby said cutter may be connected at will to the actuating device.

7. In combination with a stitch-forming mechanism, a thread-cutting. mechanism includin a movable cutter blade located in rear 0 the stitch-forming mechanism, manually-controlled means for causing said cutting mechanism to be actuated from a moving part of said stitch-forming mechanism and for releasing the same without stopping the stitching mechanis'n, said cutting mechanlsm being normally. positioned with its cutting blade raised'for its next cutting action.

8. In combination with a stitch-forming.

mechanism, a thread-cutting mechanism includin a movable cutter blade located in rear 0 the stitch-forming mechanism, manually-controlled means for causing said cutting mechanism to be actuated from a moving part of the stitch-forming mechanism and for releasing the same without stopping the stitching mechanism, said cutting mechnormally positioned with its anism bei cutting bla e raised for its next cutting action, and automatic means for restoring said blade to its normal position after each cutting action.

9. The combination of a work support, a standard, an overhanging arm carried thereby, a needle mounted in said overhanging arm, a thread-cutting mechanism including a cutting blade located in rear of the needle means for actuating said cutting blade, an manually-controlled devices located underneath the overhanging arm for controlling the action of said cutting blade.

- 10. In combination with stitch-forming mechanism including a needle, a feeding device operating to feed the fabric being sewed forward at a period of time when said needle is above the fabric, a thread-cutting mechanism, and means to operate it, whereby its cutting action will take place while said needle ismaking its upward stroke and before thefeeding device starts to move the fabric forward.

11. In combination with stitch-forming mechanism including a needle, a feeding device operating to feed the fabric being sewed, a thread-cuttin mechanism including a cutting blade, an means to operate it, whereby its cutting action takes place while the' material being stitched and while said material is firmly held between the feed dog and the presser foot, and means to hold said blade in a for the cutter including a membeg moving raised osition during the time the fabric is in a plane substantially at rightangles' to being ed forward by the feeding device. the plane of the curved path of movement 12. The combination of a stitch-forming of the part of the stitch-forming mechanism. 15

5 mechanism including a member having. a 1 In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature part ghereof mgving in {1' gurved path,b1a in the presence of two witnesses. I threa' -cutting' evice incu ing a mova e cutter, manually-controlled means for causvDU-DLEY S Y ing said cutting device to be actuated from Witnesses:

10 said moving part of the stitch-forming C. McNnm,

"mechanism, the manually controlled means A. 'B. Cwrrrma; 

